The Sixteenth Sunday Ordinary Time (Cycle A)

The tie in between today’s readings: The Second Conversion

Psalm 86:5-16, Wisdom 12:13-19, Romans 8:26-27, Matthew 13:24-43

In Matthew 13:24-43, Jesus gives three parables about the Kingdom of God. The Jews at this time believed the Messiah’s role was the restoration of Israel to its former glory. Our Lord had bigger plans. He teaches us that despite its’ humble beginnings, the Church will have a global focus and reach the ends of the earth with the gospel of salvation. The story about the wheat and the tares highlights the fact that the advance of God’s Kingdom into the world will face Satanic opposition. In fact, the Devil will be so good at his strategies that it will be impossible for anyone to tell the difference between his followers (tares) and true Christians (wheat). It will take celestial discernment at the end of time…

The Fifteenth Sunday Ordinary Time (Cycle A)

The tie in between today’s readings: The Anticipation of a New Creation

Psalm 65:10-14, Isaiah 55:10-11, Romans 8:18-23, Matthew 13:1-23

Our reading in Psalm 65:10-13 tells us about God’s abundant favor toward the earth and to man. The Lord is the one who sends the rain, sprouts the seeds, and blesses their growth. He is the reason for bountiful harvests and the multiplication of livestock. The Almighty has always provided for us in the past and He plans prosperity, peace, and hope for our future (Jeremiah 29:11). But it’s not always smooth sailing. When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden the Lord also cursed the environment. Rains can come as hurricanes and floods. Droughts bring crop failures. Disease, famine, and death consistently follow. That is only what nature can do. Throw in our transgressions of war, pollution, and crime…

The Thirteenth Sunday Ordinary Time (Cycle A)

The tie in between today’s readings: Alive to God

Psalm 89:2-3;16-19, 2 Kings 4:8-16, Romans 6:3-11, Matthew 10:37-42

In Psalm 89, our reading for today, God promises King David that his kingdom will enjoy abundant blessings and last until the end of time. Years later, due to the disobedience of David’s heirs, The Lord destroys the kingdom and sends the nation into exile in Babylon. When you read the whole text, you’ll discover the psalmist struggles with the apparent contradiction that the Almighty God of Truth would be incapable or unwilling to keep His word.  In hindsight, we see that this is another Messianic Psalm with elements of the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ in view. He is the descendant of David and heir to the eternal throne. In Him, all the promises not only in this…

Twelfth Sunday Ordinary Time (Cycle A)

The tie in between today’s readings: Everybody Must Get Stoned

Psalm 69:8-17;33-35, Jeremiah 20:10-13, Romans 5:12-15, Matthew 10:26-33

Our reading in Romans 5:12-15 takes us back to Eden where our deceived parents eat the forbidden fruit in their pursuit to be like God. Their original sin has been infused into each of us to this very day. I used to think that God was being quite unfair by saddling me with their transgression. After all, what did I have to do with it? But now, I believe that if anyone of us was placed in the Garden, then we would have done the same thing. If not, then the all-knowing infinite God made a terrible mistake by not putting any of the morally superior among us in their place and so avoid this whole sin thing altogether. To sum up, we…